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Mesa County moves to second phase of sewer work

Firm's bid of $2.93 million wins
contract for Whitewater project

Mesa County commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a $2.93 million contract for the second phase of a project that will provide sewer service to Whitewater.

The board awarded the contract to Glenwood Springs–based Gould Construction, whose bid came in about $33,000 less than a bid from Mendez Inc. of Grand Junction and $700,000 below the county’s estimate. Mendez is working on the first phase of the three-phase sewer line project from Whitewater to the Clifton Sanitation District, 3217 D Road.

“We’re still in a good bidding environment, so that’s good to see,” county Public Works Director Pete Baier said.

The first phase of the project, which is several months ahead of schedule, features three miles of sewer line from the entrance to the Western Colorado Dragway, just north of the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and 32 Road, to the intersection of 32 and C 1/2 roads. Senior Engineer Julie Constan said the first phase should be completed “within weeks.”

In the second phase, workers will connect the north end of the line to the Clifton Sanitation District plant and build a pedestrian bridge over the Colorado River that will carry the sewer line. Bridge work will begin Sept. 1, Constan said.

The third and final phase, which the county will bid out late this year, will run the sewer line from the lift station off Coffman Road in Whitewater to the drag strip entrance.

The entire project should be done in June.

The county is paying for the project up front and will be refunded through tap fees paid by customers as they hook into the system. A $1.5 million grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs will help offset some of the local costs.

In other business, commissioners approved a $1.19 million contract with Palisade Constructors Inc. for the second phase of improvements to D 1/2 Road between 30 and 32 roads. Workers are widening the road to add bicycle lanes, build 7-foot sidewalks and install crosswalks and crosswalk signals at Pear Park and Chatfield elementary schools.

The first phase, which was completed earlier this month at an estimated $600,000 cost, covered the area from 30 Road to Abeyta Drive. The second phase will run from Abeyta to 31 Road. Later phases will be done next year.

County officials have reduced the scope of work to be done on D 1/2 Road, lowering the total estimated price from $6 million to $4.1 million.

While approving of the contract, Commissioner Craig Meis said he wanted to make sure the county is limiting its work to major safety improvements and not rebuilding the entire two-mile corridor. He said owners of yet-to-be-developed parcels along D 1/2 Road should pay for their share of the work when they subdivide their land.